This invention is directed to a toy wherein at least one object is housed within a housing and also is included within the housing is an object moving means. The object moving means includes two sections which are independently movable with respect to each other and with the housing and which are capable of assuming a cooperative position. When the sections are in their cooperative position, it is possible to move the object within the housing via the object moving means.
A plurality of games are known wherein a small spherical object, normally a metallic sphere, is moved within the housing. These games range from sophisticated pinball games to simple hand held games having plastic housings. Normally, these types of games include a spring activated plunger which will launch the object to an elevated position and the object then can roll under the influence of gravity across a playing surface to a lower position and hopefully be captured in a target or other means during its travel from the elevated to the lower position. These types of games are also augmented by incorporating flippers, bumpers and etc., to also move the object across the playing surface as it descends from the high elevation point to the low elevation point. The bumpers, flippers, etc., found on these types of games are normally unified structures which strike and propell the ball away from the bumper, flipper, etc.
In all of the above noted games, the object is generally only moved against gravity during the initial thrust under the influence of the launcher, plunger, etc., or when being activated on in a forceful manner by a bumper, flipper, etc. None of the above noted games utilizes movement of the object against the force of gravity up an inclined surface or even on a level surface wherein the object is moved in a slow precise manner by a movable bumper, flipper, etc. For such a hypothetical game, mentioned in the preceding sentence, the object would be moved at a much slower controlled rate. This would require a more detailed concentration on the part of the player to move the object at such a controlled rate. It is considered that such a game which required this expenditure of concentration would serve both from a play standpoint and would also serve to develop eye-hand coordination for tasks which require such coordination.